


La Vie En Rose

by Koroshimasu



Series: La Vie En Rose [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Play, Anal Sex, Big surprises, Bottom Gavin Reed, Comforting Nines, Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explicit Sexual Content, Feel-good, Gavin Reed Backstory, Hot Sex, Immediate Attraction, Love at First Sight, M/M, One Night Stands, One Shot, One Shot Collection, PWP porn with plot, Self-Discovery, Self-Esteem Issues, Sexual Experimentation, Sexual orientation discovery, Shameless Smut, Single Dad AU, Supportive Nines, Top Upgraded Connor | RK900, gavin has a kid, reed900, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 19:08:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19836655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koroshimasu/pseuds/Koroshimasu
Summary: Struggling to raise his son after a bad divorce, single dad Gavin Reed doesn’t believe he’s worthy of love and a fresh start. A chance encounter with a strange android in a library one day proves him wrong.





	La Vie En Rose

**Author's Note:**

> Part 1 of a Single Dad Gavin AU!!!
> 
> I think this trope MAY have been done before, but if not, enjoy either way!!
> 
> It'll also be a better experience I think if people give the original Edith Piaf song a listen to, and I'll post it here:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFzViYkZAz4

**La Vie en Rose**

_Des yeux qui font baisser les miens,_

_Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche,_

_Voilà le portrait sans retouches,_

_De l’homme auquel j’appartiens…_

Light blue eyes suddenly peered over the side of Gavin Reed’s bed while the gentle, soft music of Édith Piaf woke him up. This was a regular occurrence in his home for the last two years, and nothing soothed him more than waking up to that classic tune floating around in his ears. It brought him great peace, and he had a higher chance of having a better day if his favorite song played.

As he stirred, he ran a hand through his messy bedhead while smiling down at his young eleven-year-old son, Matthew Reed. The youngster would often energetically get up way before Gavin himself did, and he was always greeting his father enthusiastically and eagerly. Today, Matthew appeared even more bubbly than ever, and he reached down and shook his father’s shoulders roughly.

_Quand il me prend dans ses bras,_

_Il me parle tout bas,_

_Je vois la vie en rose…_

“Daaaad!” he whined in his high-pitched youthful voice, “why do you always listen to this song?? It’s kinda sad!!”

Gavin smiled knowingly as he finally got up from his bed and ruffled his son’s light brown mop of curly hair. There indeed was a good reason for why he’d been drawn to the song, but he didn’t think little Matthew was old enough to really understand the reasons why.

Gavin Reed had gone through a horribly rough divorce with his now ex-wife Marina. Everything had gone over so well until a few months after Matthew had been born. Marina had been diagnosed with having post-partum depression, and she had to quit her job, leaving majority of the stress and responsibilities on Gavin’s shoulders. He’d even taken up a second job aside from working as a service coordinator at a call center. It’d been a few months that he’d worked as an administrative assistant for a dental office when he’d noticed that Marina was getting worse and worse psychologically and emotionally. She’d stopped eating at one point, and even developed anorexia, unfortunately. She’d been admitted to the general hospital, but when the health care bills slowly started piling up, Gavin felt the heat really getting to him. Still, he made an effort to regularly visit Marina at the hospital almost three times a week, and it seemed that she’d been successfully on the road to recovery…until…until two years and six months ago, Marina just woke up and stated that she’d simply fallen out of love with Gavin.

The thirty-seven-year-old man simply didn’t understand why. It was as though Marina had just snapped out of a love spell of sorts. He’d tried making it work by suggesting for them to seek the aid of a marriage counselor, but that had offended his wife at the time even more, and she’d pushed Gavin away even faster as a result.

In the end, Gavin respected and loved Marina so much that he sadly signed off the divorce papers. They shared custody of Matthew when Marina had been deemed healthy and stable enough to leave the hospital, and while they kept to themselves, Gavin felt depressed and hurt enough to learn recently that Marina had moved on and was in another relationship…albeit, with a female android. Truthfully, he had nothing against the LGBTQ community, but the entire time he’d been with Marina even prior to their wedding, she’d never expressed interest in women at all. It all came as a shock to him, but he accepted it to the best of his abilities.

Marina had even allowed Matthew to meet her partner, Julia. The short-haired blonde android with bright blue eyes eventually grew on Matthew to the point where he didn’t care a lot or show much of a reaction aside from happiness when Julia announced a plan to propose to Marina.

Things seemed well enough for someone Gavin had once considered his ‘soulmate’ and ‘other half’, but at times, he often worried about his own personal love life.

Had he tried dating?

Absolutely.

Gavin had done everything under the sun in order to move on, but it seemed as though no woman wanted to give a single father a chance or even a moment’s worth of a consideration. He’d tried dating apps, he’d tried speed dating in person, and he’d even hung around cafes and coffee shops more than usual. A few times, he’d tried approaching a few women he found attractive enough, but the moment they learned about his son, it was all over. Gavin didn’t believe in hiding anything, however, and while his parents told him to just omit the fact that he had an eleven-year-old son to his dates, Gavin had never agreed. Honesty was always a far better option, and he needed someone to love and accept him for who he was and whatever other attachments he had.

If that meant he’d have to end up being alone forever, then he was slowly prepared to come to terms with that. As sad and horrible as that would be, if that was how his fate was written, he was okay with it…somewhat.

Gavin got ready for his day while he quickly showered, shaved, put on cologne, and then headed into the kitchen of his two-bedroom apartment to make breakfast for Matthew.

“What’s it gonna be today, buddy?” he asked his son cheerfully while Matthew bustled around him and laughed happily.

“I want pancakes, dad!!”

He winked, “Sure thing, boss!” while he turned towards the fridge, he got out an egg, milk, butter, and when he faced the stove, he found that Matthew had already placed a small pan on top of the stove excitedly.

Gavin ruffled his son’s hair while he whistled to the tune of ‘La Vie En Rose’ as it played on and on.

Matthew watched him eagerly, and Gavin cracked the eggshell open while he prepared the pancake mix. “We gotta mix it well, first,” he explained when Matthew showed enough interest in cooking to approach and peer down into the tiny bowl Gavin had laid out on the kitchen counter. He mixed the contents slowly, “Beat the egg for me while I pour in the milk, okay buddy?”

“Sure thing, dad!” Matthew took hold of the mixing spoon, and he slowly and carefully beat the egg while Gavin poured the milk into the bowl.

“Keep mixing,” Gavin instructed when he added in the powder and stood back to observe his son cooking all by himself.

Matthew giggled as he kept going, and he eventually peeked over at Gavin from over his shoulder. “Can I have chocolate chips in my pancake too, dad?”

“Of course!” Gavin sang out as he fished out the tiny package of the sweet chocolate chips. He approached his son while he poured the batter into the pan when the butter had melted nicely. “Wanna try putting the chippies in yourself, too?” Gavin suggested when Matthew peered at the mix slowly taking the shape and form of the pan.

He thought about it and then giggled, “Okay!!”

As father and son bonded while singing, whistling, and laughing together into the morning, Gavin saw the sun rising and shining even brighter than before. It was moments like this that he really felt he had a wonderful purpose to keep on living his life to the best of his abilities.

His son truly was his life and joy, and nothing gave him more pride than watching Matthew slowly grow and learn. These good moments strongly outweighed the bad, and Gavin truly was grateful for everything he had in his life and held dearly.

These thoughts definitely helped him at least keep his lonely imaginings at bay…at least for the time being anyway.

(~~~~:::~~~~)

After breakfast on weekends, Gavin usually drove Matthew to Marina’s, as the weekends were when she had her time with their son. Gavin felt his mood dampen and turn sour that same morning after he’d dropped Matthew off.

Marina had greeted him wearing a large, shiny diamond ring, and it once again brought memories for Gavin he never wished to recall and ponder upon. Seeing that ring on her slender finger triggered back the memory of when he’d proposed to her on the day of their college graduation. He’d obtained permission from the Dean of the college to have the stage all to himself while he gave a long speech to his graduating class, as he’d been elected as the valedictorian. Nothing short of love and admiration had been flying loosely from his lips while he aimed his words directly at Marina, and as she stood among the graduating crowd, her eyes grew more and more heavy with emotions and pure love for him…for Gavin…

Remembering how he’d called her up to join him on stage, he’d then gotten down on one knee, presented her with the expensive ring, and placed it on her finger when she’d cried out ‘yes’ a dozen times in front of their graduating classmates.

That had been the happiest day of Gavin’s young life.

He’d headed into a future with bright hopes and thoughts. He’d planned for so much, and he’d wanted nothing but a lovely, wonderful family…

Oh, how things had changed.

Watching as the rain clouds gathered high above, Gavin turned on his windshield wipers when heavy raindrops splattered down on his car, echoing loudly like bullets pelting down upon him. Thunder grumbled in the distance, and when Julia had asked if he wanted to drop in for a bit for some tea, Gavin gruffly brushed her off. Truthfully, he wanted to be as far away from any ‘couple’ as possible.

But where was he going to go??

Normally, he’d just head home and either read a book, watch a movie, take a walk, exercise, or try to work on his dating life, but neither of those felt like options to him right now at all.

With the rain growing heavier and stronger, Gavin sped up his car, and he wove around through Detroit City aimlessly for almost half an hour before he knew this was all pointless. He had to stop somewhere, but he was so sick and tired of coffee shops.

Peering out his window, he spotted an old library that was still being renovated for the year. It was surprisingly still open on a Saturday afternoon. Having nothing else to do, Gavin decided it’d be a change of scenery and a good place to take some shelter from the storm instead of hiding in his car.

Parking in the first available spot he could find, Gavin held his spring jacket up over his head like a tiny shield of sorts, and he made a clean break for it towards the entrance of the library. The automatic doors slid open, and Gavin’s dark sneakers squeaked loudly upon entering the building. The air conditioning was on, and it chilled his bones as he tried getting used to the sudden change in temperature. While it had been raining horribly outside, the weather was still for the most part warm, gentle, and a tad humid.

There were quite a handful of people lingering about in the library, Gavin found. They were all busied with their own activities; a few men sitting by the thin-screen laptops while searching up videos and books, likely, while a few female librarians sat around book nooks with a few children surrounding them as they read out loud to them. Everything was tranquil, peaceful, calm, soothing, and gentle. Gavin felt he’d made the right choice to stop here, and he slowly ascended a medium-sized staircase so he could find a good book on the second floor of the library where majority of the nonfiction books were located.

Finally reaching the second floor of the building, Gavin sighed in exhaustion, but the moment he had, a few people poked their heads around the sides of long, large shelves, and they rudely hissed out, “SHHHH!” at him.

Rolling his eyes, Gavin ran a hand through his semi-wet hair and got to work on finding something to read for a few hours until he felt hungry enough to head home or grab something on the way there.

Not having a clue as to what he wanted to read, Gavin just walked up to a random shelf, and he searched through it, reading the names of the books on the spines. A lot of the books on the shelf he was facing were about music and the history of music. That didn’t excite him a lot, but he still leafed through the books when he found a particularly heavy and thick one about the development of classical music.

He’d flipped through it randomly, browsing quickly until his eyes and brain somehow found the name Édith Piaf. That was when Gavin stopped leafing through the book as quickly, and he leaned against the shelf as he read a small segment on the deceased artist.

_Édith Piaf was a French singer, songwriter, cabaret performer and film actress noted as France’s national chanteuse and one of the country’s most widely known international stars. Piaf’s music was often autobiographical, and she specialized in chanson and torch ballads about love, loss and sorrow._

“Maybe that’s why I’ve been drawn to her music lately,” Gavin mused out loud to himself, and he sighed as he set the book down and tried looking for more information about Édith Piaf. Technically, he knew he could’ve just run a search on her name using the computers in the library, but he found that the second floor didn’t appear to have any currently available. The only ones left were usually reserved for student usage, which meant he wasn’t allowed to use them, it seemed. He’d even left his smart phone at home, and he cursed himself while conducting the age-old-fashioned way of using his eyes to find what he wanted.

While he searched through the shelves, the skies outside grew darker and darker, making the lights in the library appear brighter and brighter in contrast. It hurt his eyes suddenly, and Gavin found himself feeling stressed. He never handled stress well, and as the thunder and lightning echoed across the sky, he felt his body and mood responding in kind. He was unable to find what he’d been looking for, and it all seemed to relate back to his current situation in life.

He had a lot of love to give, and yet he could never find it, no matter how hard he searched.

Feeling frustrated, Gavin kicked a shelf roughly, and as he growled at the back of his throat, he willed himself to remain calm. The last thing he needed now was to freak out in the middle of a quiet, peaceful place and run the risk of making a jackass out of himself.

Calm.

Calm.

He breathed through his nose softly, and when he opened his eyes, he decided to be logical enough to solve his problem.

Instead of kicking away at shelves, it was far better to just go and ask a librarian for help. If only he could just ask for help in landing a date as easily…

Ignoring that dark thought for a moment, Gavin exited the isle, and when he made a sharp right turn, he found the librarian desk and information center.

Thankfully, someone was seated already behind it.

Perfect.

While Gavin approached, he found that the figure was a male wearing a long-sleeved grey dress shirt and dark jeans. The closer Gavin got to the man, the more he saw a little circular light blinking off from their forehead.

Oh…it appeared as though this librarian was an android?

Great.

It wasn’t that Gavin despised androids, but he just didn’t want to talk to one when his ex-wife was currently planning for a happy wedding to one. It frustrated him again, but he didn’t want to climb down to the first floor and seek another librarian out when one was currently here available.

Tapping on the surface of the cold desk lightly, Gavin got the android’s attention in a jiffy. The android glanced up at him, and Gavin froze for a moment when he saw deep blue eyes that reminded him of the vast ocean suddenly.

This android was indeed far too handsome. He had a lovely shade of human skin peppered with a few freckles dancing on his shapely cheekbones. Dark brown hair had been neatly combed back, though a rebellious single strand of it hung loosely down over his forehead. It only added to the android’s handsome features, however. His lips were a delicate shade of pink, his chin and jaw were well-defined, and all his other features seemed in great proportion and were chiseled out nicely.

Gavin was staring.

Realizing that the librarian had greeted him almost two minutes ago, Gavin snapped out of his thoughts, and he coughed in embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” he croaked out uncomfortably, “guess I hit a roadblock or something…”

The android only smiled warmly, “I just asked if there was anything I could help you with.”

Of course; the android was only doing his job, and for some reason, Gavin found himself a little angry with that notion. Had he expected the android to say or do something else?

Recovering from his angry thoughts quickly, Gavin sighed, “I was just wondering if you could help me find a few books or biographies on Édith Piaf?”

Standing up, the android loomed over him suddenly. This android was quite tall, and Gavin had to tilt his head back while he stared up into those blue eyes. They still seemed warm and friendly, even for a ‘machine’.

Odd.

“I’d be more than happy to!” the android chirped, “please follow me!”

Nodding, Gavin kept behind the android, and as they walked towards the far right-hand side of the shelves, Gavin found himself curious about this android. What was his name? Most of the librarians had a name tag on their shirt, but this android didn’t have one at all. It shocked Gavin, but he bit his tongue and forced himself to remain silent when they stopped. The android raised his long arms up high above his head, and he hummed as he pulled down a thick book from one of the top shelves.

“Here we are,” he sang out, “I think you’ll like this biography, because the author-Carolyn Burke-goes into a lot of details about Piaf’s life and upbringing!”

He held the book out to Gavin, and the shorter male studied it. “ _No Regrets: The Life of Edith Piaf_ ,” he read out loud and then smiled, “sounds good, I guess.”

“Start with that,” the librarian suggested kindly, “and I think you can also—”

“I’m sorry,” Gavin interrupted suddenly, and although he knew it was kind of rude to someone trying to help him, he just felt he couldn’t stay silent anymore. Peering up into the android’s wide eyes, he felt himself blushing nervously, and he swallowed as a strange silence pressed between them. Knowing the android was waiting for him to speak, Gavin collected his nerves, and before he could stop himself, he’d asked, “What’s your name?”

The android took a step back from him and placed a hand on his chest. “M-my name?”

Gavin nodded, “Just curious because you seem nice and pretty eager to help…” it sounded so dumb to him, and he wanted to slap himself in the face. It was no wonder he had trouble landing a date! He was so socially awkward that it pained him, but he thought about just telling the android to forget it all. This was silly, and a huge waste of time, and there was no way the android was going to—

“I’m Nines.”

Gavin nearly collapsed to the floor. “Wh-what?”

The android smiled, “I’m Nines.”

“Nines?” it was an odd choice for a name, but Gavin liked it immediately. “Is that like your model number or something?”

Nodding swiftly, the android stated, “Yes, I’m an RK900 model.”

“Neat…” Gavin shifted awkwardly, and he again felt the steam rising from his cheeks and ears. Why was he so nervous around a man, suddenly??

Sure, the android was very attractive, appealing, and handsome, but that didn’t mean he had to react this way!! As far as Gavin Reed was concerned, he’d only dated, slept with, and been sexually attracted to women all his life. Never had he even once been curious about touching a man, kissing a man, sleeping with a man, or experimenting sexually with another man. He hadn’t even found other men attractive before today, and he was suddenly disturbed by his own thoughts.

Still, that didn’t stop him from holding out a hand behind himself. “Nines,” he began softly, “I hope this isn’t weird to ask, but I was wondering if you wanted to maybe join me for a bit?”

Eyeing him curiously, the android’s LED light spun yellow. “Join you?”

“Yes,” Gavin confirmed, “just to sit and chat somewhere?”

Humming in thought, Nines frowned, “I’m not really supposed to fraternize casually with customers and visitors…”

Gavin felt his heart shatter right then and there. He sucked at handling rejection, and he didn’t know what to say. Feeling lower than he ever had, he held his head down as he sighed. He’d lost before he’d even considered what he’d wanted to gain, but it still all hurt and stung like a harpoon to the chest.

“Okay, Nines,” he nodded in understanding, “I’m sorry to have asked you.”

Before he turned and left, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Turning around immediately, Gavin gasped, “Nines?”

“I…” the android huffed, and then smiled, “…I suppose it’s okay this one time, because today’s actually my last shift here.”

Gavin raised an eyebrow, “Oh?”

“I’m starting a new job Monday,” Nines explained, “so a few moment’s worth of a chat won’t land me into any trouble!”

Gavin could hardly contain his excitement. “Great!” He walked Nines over to a long row of tables, and thankfully, they were all empty. They sat right beside each other, though Nines was careful enough to keep a good amount of distance while Gavin opened the book up before himself. He searched through it for a moment before smiling and nodding at Nines.

“This is a good selection, Nines,” he affirmed, “I think I’ll enjoy reading this!”

Beaming brightly at him, Nines pressed out, “So have you always like music by Édith Piaf?”

Blushing, Gavin shrugged, “Well, I don’t want to really unload my entire situation onto you, but yeah, a lot of it has to do with the shit I’m going through currently.” He then frowned and slapped himself mentally. “Sorry for cussing, Nines,” he shook his head, “I hardly know you, and I don’t want to make a bad impression already!!”

……..

Why he held concern about the kind of impression he left on Nines was absolutely and utterly beyond him. This was an android, for goodness sake!! Why did he need to care what Nines thought about him???

Gavin supposed he was a lot more vulnerable than he originally assumed, especially if he needed to seek out a stranger’s validation.

Nines didn’t seem to mind it, however; he just continued to smile at Gavin while inching his seat a little closer to him. “I don’t think swearing is all that bad, Mr…err,” Nines frowned, “I’m so sorry,” he began with a deep chuckle, “I’m lacking in my manners; I never asked you your name.”

Gavin was too quick to answer, “Gavin Reed!”

They shook hands, then, and Gavin nearly gasped in shock when he felt how warm and large Nines’ hand was clasped against his own. Peering down at it, he saw indeed that Nines had broad, wide hands. He liked looking at them, but Nines folded them in his lap and stared intently at him suddenly.

Not wanting things to turn awkward again, Gavin sighed out, “As long as I’m not being weird or anything, then I’m happy.”

Nines shook his head, “I am in no position to judge you at all, Gavin,” loud thunder suddenly interrupted, and Gavin slightly jumped up in his seat. Nines grinned, “Are you alright?”

“Umm, yeah,” Gavin shook his head, “just caught me off guard…”

“I understand,” came the deep, gentle reply.

Gavin felt something odd happening to him. It suddenly felt as though someone had turned on a huge vacuum of sorts, and Gavin had a difficult time breathing properly. There couldn’t be something wrong with his body, physically. He’d always been as healthy as a horse, and he’d never had asthma or any breathing problems. Perhaps it was psychological and emotional, then…fearing the worst, Gavin tried denying that Nines’ voice and close proximity to his own body had been the cause of it. To admit to such a thing would be devastating, truly. There was just no way he was—

Nines leaned against him, staring down at a few sentences in the open book before them both. Eyes shining brightly, he smiled, “I do wonder what draws certain individuals to listen to specific kinds of music, watch specific types of films, and to even read a certain genre of novels…” he turned his gaze towards Gavin, and the shorter male nervously swallowed the rising lump that had been caught in his throat.

“Oh!” he nearly kicked himself when he remembered what he’d wanted to say to Nines. “Yeah, I have had a pretty rough year or so, you know?” he began softly, mindful of the volume of his voice when a door to the stairwell opened, and then closed swiftly.

Inching himself closer to Nines, Gavin whispered, “I just got divorced, and I’m struggling with the fact that my ex has moved on so easily and I can’t seem to do the same.”

Quirking a brow, Nines ground out, “Everyone is different, Gavin; perhaps your ex struggled the most with the separation as well, but her coping mechanism was to find another man to be with.”

“Woman,” Gavin swiftly corrected while blushing, “my ex is a lesbian.”

Nines smiled, “I see.”

Gavin nodded, “I’m alright with it, and I sometimes tell myself as a joke that I turned her gay!” giggling at his own joke, he quieted down when Nines joined in for the laugh. Oh god, his voice sounded even better when he was laughing in the way he currently was…

Once again, Gavin felt his throat turning dry, constricting, and his entire mouth felt as dry as a desert. What was happening to him???

Nines seemed to pick up on it. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked in a concerned tone, “I can bring you some water if you want…”

“No,” Gavin cleared his throat while shaking his head side-to-side, as though to dispel the weird thoughts, feelings, and reactions he’d been having, “I’m okay, I think I just need to eat.”

Standing up swiftly, Nines made his way back towards the information desk. While Gavin watched, he leaned down and picked something up. He then made his way back towards Gavin, and he placed a small, brown paper bag on the desk close to Gavin’s book. Peeking down into the bag, Gavin found a small, wrapped sandwich.

He gasped, “But—”

“One of my colleagues brought that for lunch, but she didn’t have the appetite for it after all,” Nines explained.

“Can I really have this?” Gavin asked, pulling the sandwich out of the wrapping anyway and holding it up to his lips.

Nines smiled, “That’s the whole purpose of me giving it to you, isn’t it?”

Thanking the kind android, Gavin hurriedly scarfed the sandwich down in no more than four large bites. He hadn’t realized he was so hungry, but he felt some energy return to him when he’d finished the small meal. Wiping his lips with a napkin that had been in the bag as well, Gavin sat back and smiled appreciatively at Nines.

“Thank you once again.”

Nines nodded, “So, tell me about why you feel drawn to somber music, if you wish…” he tilted his head and smiled, “…think of it as a way to return my kindness for the food.”

“Deal,” Gavin smirked and leaned to the side comfortably. “A lot of it has to do with my ex,” he explained carefully and slowly, “everything was okay with us from the start, but when we had our son—”

“Ahh,” Nines chimed in, “you have a son?”

This was when Gavin immediately froze.

His big mouth was going to land him in trouble yet again. How would Nines react knowing he had a kid? Would he run away? Would he excuse himself and awkwardly leave? Would he get angry?

Swallowing nervously, Gavin nodded. “Yeah, his name’s Matthew…”

“Does he look like you?”

Now that hadn’t been the reaction he was expecting, and it struck Gavin in the chest like a hammer to the heart. Nines had been curiously wanting more information?? No one had ever gone this far to learn about him in years, and it was simply so refreshing that Gavin felt his heart fluttering and eyes watering.

Composing himself quickly, he reached into his jean pockets and pulled out his wallet. “He kinda looks like me,” he pulled out a small photo of Matthew, and showed it to Nines eagerly. “See?”

Nines studied the photograph for a moment, and then smiled as his LED light flashed blue. “What a charming young man,” he stated kindly, “congratulations!”

“He’s my pride and joy,” Gavin stated while placing the photo back into his wallet and putting that away, “he’s a very brave young kid after everything he saw going on between his mother and me.”

“Children are resilient,” Nines commented, “never underestimate them.”

The wind howled outside, but the rain had calmed down significantly. It all suddenly gave Gavin an idea.

Gathering up his courage, he blushed as he whispered, “Hey, did you want to maybe hang out with me for a bit after your shift? I’d really like to get to know you more and chat…”

Yet again, Gavin had been expecting Nines to say ‘no’, but to his surprise, he found the android nodding and smiling widely. “Certainly,” he grinned, “but I’d have to ask you to wait until 4:45, because I have to close and lock up the library for the weekend.”

Gavin held up a hand, “I can wait!” He meant his words sincerely; he hadn’t found someone as wonderfully engaging as Nines in a long, long time.

“Thank you, Gavin.”

Nines got back to work, rearranging some shelves, talking to a few more visitors, answering their questions, and entering into the computer systems whenever a book had been checked out, returned, or had changed in terms of availability status.

The entire time he worked, Gavin watched him.

Simply put, Gavin found himself unable to look away. Nines was beautiful and captivating as he worked. He was friendly, calm, kind, helpful, and he never seemed to stop smiling. It looked so radiant across the library, and anywhere the android went, Gavin’s eyes were sure to follow.

Thanking his luck for finally turning around, Gavin made a vow to treat his new friend with extra care. He never wanted to lose Nines, and he was going to work extra hard in keeping this friendship as strong as it’d started out.

Finally, it was time to close up the library, and once everyone had been ushered out, Nines turned off the lights, locked all doors and windows, turned off the air conditioning, and put on a long, black raincoat. He looked dashing in it, but Gavin kept that comment to himself as he walked Nines over to his car.

“I usually take a bus or a city cab,” Nines explained once they got in the vehicle, and Gavin was already driving towards his own house.

Not wanting Nines to panic or freak out, Gavin peeked over at him nervously. “Did you want to go somewhere specific?”

The android shook his head, “Not in particular.”

“So you won’t find it creepy for me to take us back to my apartment, then?”

“Not at all, Gavin.”

Feeling relaxed, Gavin turned on his music, staying on the first track of his music when it connected to the car’s speakers.

_Des yeux qui font baisser les miens,_

_Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche,_

_Voilà le portrait sans retouches,_

_De l’homme auquel j’appartiens…_

_Quand il me prend dans ses bras,_

_Il me parle tout bas,_

_Je vois la vie en rose!_

_Il me dit des mots d’amour,_

_Des mots de tous les jours,_

_Et ça me fait quelque chose!!_

Pointing at the speakers, Nines beamed happily, “Excellent selection.”

“This song means a lot to me,” Gavin stated after he’d turned the volume down a little, “I always looked at my life through those rose-tinted glasses, and I held a certain view about love for a long time.”

Nines suddenly frowned, “You held a certain view about love for a very long time until you went through your divorce?”

Damn him.

Gavin hated to admit it, but Nines had read through his predicament and feelings all too well. Perhaps it was just a thing all androids could do, but Gavin preferred believing that it was their special bond forming that had enabled Nines to read him openly.

“Yeah,” he admitted as he stared straight ahead out the window. “You’re right about that one.”

Offering him a gentle and calming smile, Nines purred out, “I hope you get your rose-tinted glasses back soon, Gavin.”

_Il est entré dans mon cœur,_

_Une part de bonheur,_

_Dont je connais la cause,_

He couldn’t stop smiling at Nines. “Thank you, Nines…”

_C’est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vie!_

_Il me l’a dit, l’a juré pour la vie_

Who was this android, and why was he making the sun and rainbows visible even behind stormy clouds??

Gavin couldn’t believe it, but he soon found they’d reached his apartment’s parking lot in such a short time. Gavin was slightly devastated, as he’d wanted to prolong the drive so he could chat longer with Nines. Either way, he was more than excited and happy to show Nines into his room, and they both couldn’t stop talking as they rode the elevator up to the top floor of the building.

(~~~~:::~~~~)

“Just make yourself at home, Nines, and I’ll join you in a bit!”

Gavin took his coat and Nines’ and while he hung them up in his hallway closet, Nines wandered through his apartment slowly.

“I like your place, Gavin,” Nines sang out cheerfully as the raindrops drenched the windows in a gloomy manner. “It’s all very homey and cozy!”

Joining his friend in his living room, Gavin smiled as he sat down on a loveseat. “Yeah, we’re making do here, I suppose.”

Sitting comfortably beside Gavin, Nines stared all around the room, eventually finding a rectangular-framed portrait bearing Gavin’s and Matthew’s photo taken together hanging on a wall. He grinned proudly, “I can see that you love your son a lot.”

“Of course!” Gavin smiled on in vicarious pride, but then his smile had been wiped off from his face. “But you know, it hasn’t been easy being so open and forthcoming about that information, especially whenever I’ve worked on trying to land a date.”

Nines appeared shocked. His eyebrows rose up to his hairline, and his mouth fell open in an ‘o’ shape. “You’re having a hard time dating??” his voice wavered a little, “I’m sorry to hear that, Gavin!”

Shrugging it off, Gavin sighed tiredly, “Meh, it happens I guess.”

“I can’t understand why,” Nines questioned with a tiny frown, “you’re a very sweet-natured individual!”

“I’ll take that compliment, Nines,” Gavin joked lightly, but then waved a hand in the air, “all jokes aside, a lot of women don’t want to be saddled up with a dude who has what they call ‘baggage’,” he spat in anger, making little air quote symbols with his fingers. He hated to be reminded of all the times a woman had said to him: ‘It’s not you, it’s me! I can’t handle a child right now’, or ‘I like you, but I’m not ready to be a new stepmother!’, or ‘I want to have my own biological kids, and I’m not really ready to handle someone else’s child!’. All of those answers pissed him off as they swam around in his head space, and Nines seemed to understand.

Holding out a hand over Gavin’s which was resting in his lap, Nines cooed down at him, “It’s okay to be angry; a woman should truly be happy and proud to be with you and your son.”

Gavin groaned in despair, “But why don’t they realistically see it that way, Nines???” he knew he sounded a bit whiny and pathetic, but he couldn’t help it. All his life he’d been hearing how sweet people thought he was, how loving, excellent, and sweet of a romantic partner he’d be. But if their words were all true, then why was he constantly alone?!?

Not wanting to direct his anger at Nines, Gavin got a hold of his emotions quickly.

Nines smiled calmly. “You’ll find the right person in time, I’m sure of it.”

“You sound so confident,” Gavin snorted, “how do you know this so well?”

Nines stared down at the floor before he pressed out, “Good people usually aren’t alone for extended periods of time, I believe.”

Unsure of whether he believed that or not, Gavin spat out, “That may just be your opinion though, Nines, but I’ve experienced and lived all that rejection!”

The android didn’t seem to want to argue with him, and he merely smiled on as though nothing had happened. Seeing that smile plastered onto his face helped Gavin feel a little bit calmer, though he still felt angry when he had to retell all his experiences. He couldn’t help it though; something about the quality and nature in Nines’ personality brought out the honesty and truthfulness in Gavin that he’d tried to bury and hide all along. He appreciated that he was able to be his own self again before someone without having them run away from him. He only hoped that would last this time around…

Sitting up, Nines turned towards him with a gentle smile. “Have you considered the possibility that you might be seeking women out in the wrong places?” he asked softly, and Gavin had nearly missed the question the first time around until it hit him suddenly.

He stiffened, which was an instinctive move whenever he was either uncomfortable or defensive. He hoped it wouldn’t remain as such for long; he really didn’t want to offend his new friend.

Brushing his wet bangs back, Gavin shivered from the coldness he felt against his feverish skin. “I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong in terms of that…”

“Where are you looking for women, if I may ask?” Nines inquired gently, prodding Gavin for more information by the minute.

Gavin shrugged again, “Bookstores, coffee shops, sometimes the grocery store…I’ve tried approaching anyone I find appealing, but they never want to give me the time of day.”

Nines nodding in understanding. “I’m sure it can feel that way, Gavin,” he began earnestly, “but you may have to consider that none of it is your fault or your own doing.”

This wasn’t something he’d been used to hearing. Whenever Gavin had brought up his problems with dating before in front of his parents, they’d always blamed him for being promiscuous in his youth and dating what they referred to as ‘slutty girls’. But he was young, stupid, and reckless back then as a teenager, and he hardly felt it was fair for them to judge him that way. Why should he have to be punished for a few bad choices??

Turning back to his guest, Gavin offered him a half-smile. “I appreciate you saying that, Nines,” he spoke out softly, “but I think I’m honestly the common denominator in all my failures.”

“I disagree,” Nines didn’t hesitate to push out, “perhaps you should really consider dating different people…”

People…

Now that had taken Gavin by surprise. Why hadn’t Nines said ‘women’?

Gavin chose to voice this out loud, “Don’t you mean women?”

Shaking his head, the android closed his eyes and frowned lightly. “No, I meant what I said, Gavin.”

“Are you—”

“Maybe you deserve a man,” Nines opinionated calmly, “there’s nothing wrong about dating someone of your own gender.”

Gavin threw his head back and laughed. “I’m not gay, Nines!”

“No one said you had to be.”

He paused, and then scowled. “You’re callin’ me gay, Nines,” he spat viciously, “I don’t care how you choose to phrase it, but I can’t lay in bed next to someone who has a cock, I’m sorry.”

Holding up a finger, Nines scowled back, “Physiologically, a man absolutely is capable of bringing another man sexual release and satisfaction.” The way Nines had presented this information shook something deeply into Gavin’s core. It seemed almost factual and semi-robotic, but he only glowered at Nines while inching away from him on the loveseat.

“Don’t be disgusting, Nines,” Gavin hissed out with venom, “I’m tellin’ you that I’m not attracted to men!!”

“You never have been?”

“NEVER!”

Nines nodded slowly, “Have you ever been curious?”

…………

“No.”

“You’re lying.”

Gavin froze. “Excuse me???”

“I said you’re lying,” Nines repeated, “I sensed a high state of arousal in your body in the library when you were seated next to me.”

Once again, Gavin froze. He felt all the blood in his body turning to ice, and for the longest time, all he could do was stare openly at Nines. Had he been right?? Was that why he’d reacted so strangely physically in the library??? But it couldn’t be…it just wasn’t possible!!! Nines had to be wrong!!!

Refusing to believe him, Gavin stood up, and he pointed back out towards his front door. “I think I made a mistake, Nines,” he coldly spat, “you should leave right now.”

Sighing, the android got to his feet reluctantly. “As you wish, Gavin,” he stated sadly and dully while inching towards the hall leading up to the front door. It was a slow, sad walk, but Nines paused as he threw a sad small over his shoulder at Gavin. “I really enjoyed the company and the chats, however brief they were, I’ll have you know.”

When he’d uttered that, something slammed into Gavin’s heart, and then tugged deep down in the pit of his belly. Feeling his veins aflame, he suddenly leapt out at Nines, and he violently grabbed him by the shoulders before he could open the front door. Nines’ back rammed against a wall, and Gavin stood up on his toes as he snarled into the android’s face.

“What would you think of me if I said I changed my mind just now again?”

Eyeing him neutrally, Nines whispered, “I wouldn’t judge you, I promise.”

“Even though I’m not sure if I’m gay or not?”

“You have my solid word on the matter.”

Gavin breathed wildly through his nose while his nostrils flared, and he heard his heart hammering in his ears. Willing and praying for himself to calm down, he ground out through clenched teeth, “I’m a fuck up and a single dad.”

Nines smiled wearily, “And I’m a lonely, deviant android.”

Fingers tightening around Nines’ shirt collar, Gavin spat out, “I’m a loser with no social life.”

“And I’m needy, sensitive, and in dire need of spending the night in someone’s bed.”

That last sentence had been his undoing.

Gavin growled, and he slammed their mouths together roughly. Truthfully, he had no idea what he was doing, but he found that kissing a man was no different from kissing a woman. Nines had such sweet, soft lips. Gavin melted into the kiss, turning into a moaning, whining mess instantly. Nines relaxed against him, and his skin thankfully was absent of any facial hair. Gavin loved that, and he held up a hand cautiously by Nines’ jaw, ready to touch and stroke his skin. Nines allowed him to do so, and he leaned his head down for easier access. Settling back down on the soles of his feet, Gavin sighed out breathlessly, and he had to break away from their kiss to catch some air.

Panting against Nines desperately, he stared lustfully at his near perfect lips. “I have the whole apartment to myself tonight…”

Nines nodded, “Bedroom?”

“Fuck…”

“That’s the idea, Gavin.”

Wrapping his hands around Nines’ neck, Gavin softly kissed his lips once more before pulling away and hissing out, “So hurry up then, Nines!”

Obeying his wish, Nines practically yanked him away from the door, and their feet hurriedly swept along the cold floors until Nines slammed a shoulder into the half-closed bedroom door. It burst open with a loud squeak, and Gavin found himself spun around and thrown into the center of his bed.

Nines climbed up on top of him, but before their mouths could connect again, Gavin pressed a hand against Nines’ chest, effectively stopping him for a moment.

“I don’t have condoms,” Gavin panted out, blushing when Nines froze and then looked down.

“Have you ever done this with another man before?” Gavin asked once the silence had been too much and had gone on for too long.

Nines gave him a sad smile, “No.”

“With a woman?”

“No.”

Gavin chuckled, “What an honor it is to be your first, then.”

Nines growled in a light warning, and in no time, he bit down on Gavin’s lower lip. The kiss was wild and rough, and Nines spared no moment to practically shove his tongue deeply into Gavin’s warm, wet mouth. Gavin accepted it and met Nines’ tongue with the rough strokes of his own, and they struggled and fought for control and dominance. Soon, it became evident that not only were their tongues battling, but their bodies were as well. Wrapping Nines’ waist with his strong legs, Gavin rolled Nines over to lie on his back, but in an instant, Nines gripped his hair gently between his fingers, and he rolled himself back over on top of Gavin.

Warm kisses and licks were delivered to Gavin’s neck, and the man sighed and arched against the sweet lips. He truthfully didn’t need to have hickeys or love bites, as Matthew was far too observant and clever for his age. But the moment Nines began sucking deliciously on his neck, Gavin whispered ‘fuck it’ to himself, and he let it continue.

Running his fingers through the android’s thick hair, he rocked his hips against Nines’ almost hurriedly, begging Nines to just get on with it.

Nibbling and licking a path back up to Gavin’s ear, Nines whispered, “Impatience isn’t wise right now, especially considering how this is a first for us both.”

“I don’t care,” Gavin growled hungrily, “I need to forget and hurt, right now.”

Moving back from him, Nines stared down at him with lust brewing and boiling behind his eyes. “Are you sure that’s truly what you want, Gavin?” he asked calmly, “I won’t be able to stop later on, even if you ask.”

Taking a moment to think about it, Gavin felt that there could be a possible chance of himself regretting the experience or even hating it the moment it started. His thoughts were spinning, and he held out a hand and pressed it against his forehead. “I want to try it with you, Nines,” he eventually admitted in the silence of the room that was practically suffocating them both, “I feel like you somehow get me and know me, and if there’s a guy I want to have sex with, it must be you…” he blushed and winced at his own desperation and neediness, “…please do this with me?”

He felt another forehead pressed against his own. Nines closed his eyes as he breathed down, “How can I refuse you now?”

“I don’t want you to…”

“And I won’t.”

Bit by bit, layer by layer, their clothes came off. They took turns undressing one another until they were both naked. The late evening stormy sky outside made it quite dark, but Gavin relied more on tactile senses to help him see. He mapped out Nines’ entire body with his hands only, and Nines did the same as they got entangled in the clean bed sheets.

Rolling around on top of each other a few times, Gavin panted out, “I don’t think I can t-top…”

Nines grinned playfully, “That’s alright; I’ll be gentle with you.”

Those words nearly made Gavin come immediately, and he held a hand down as he palmed his erection. “Nines, please,” he panted heavily, needy and raw, “don’t talk like that too much!!”

Lips captured his own protests, and Nines ate up everything Gavin had to offer him. His tongue licked its way deeply into his mouth, and while Nines held onto the sides of Gavin’s jaw in strong hands, he began fucking his mouth lewdly with his tongue while his hips rocked into Gavin’s in the same steady rhythm.

Every touch was driving Gavin up the walls, and he groaned loudly when Nines shifted and angled their hips perfectly and drove his cock right against Gavin’s.

“Fuuuuck!” the smaller male hissed, eyes clenched tightly. “I c-can’t!”

“Yes you can,” Nines argued back, spreading Gavin’s legs apart as he rubbed the tip of his leaking cock against his needy open hole. The moment Gavin felt that warmth throbbing between his cheeks, he clenched his body up tightly and shivered.

He gasped out, “N-not yet!!”

“Shh,” Nines purred, “I won’t do anything without preparing you first.”

Nodding in understanding, Gavin relaxed significantly. He trusted this man to take care of him and open up to him in the most intimate of ways. This was such a new exchange that Gavin’s brain went numb just processing it. Since they were in bed, however, he decided not to jump too far ahead and scare either of them off for now. Sex was on his mind first and foremost, and he involuntarily spread his legs when he felt Nines’ fingers softly caressing and grazing his skin. His fingers skated and ghosted up and down Gavin’s thighs, rubbing closely against his cock, but never once touching it.

It drove Gavin mad, but he reminded himself to be patient. He watched as Nines bent down and lowered his hands between his legs, and suddenly, a fingertip brushed against Gavin’s hole. Tensing up, he cried out in shock, and Nines froze as he stared at him.

“Sorry,” Gavin whispered, “it just shocked me…”

Nines tossed him a playfully evil grin, “Never played with yourself there?”

“No!” Gavin laughed, slapping Nines in the arm lightly.

“Hmm,” Nines purred while staring at Gavin’s cock as it steadily rose and hardened, “I think you’ll like it if I do this, then…” Nines then grabbed two of Gavin’s fingers, and he brought them up to his mouth. Eyeing Gavin with confidence, Nines began licking and sucking Gavin’s middle finger and index finger slowly.

Gavin fell back onto the bed as he screamed out, “Oh god…”

Nines licked and soaked up Gavin’s fingers, coating them generously with saliva. His tongue speared between Gavin’s fingers, worming up and down and around them, as if giving Gavin’s fingers the blowjob he should’ve been giving his cock…

Dirty thoughts and images flooded Gavin’s mind the longer Nines sucked and licked his fingers, and the obscenely wet, popping and sucking noises made Gavin 100% hard the rest of the way. The tip of his pink cock was jutting against his lower abdomen, and he groaned and palmed his aching, throbbing flesh while repeatedly calling out for Nines.

Finally, when Gavin felt he couldn’t take it anymore, Nines released his fingers, and he then pressed Gavin’s own hand between his legs.

Gavin’s head snapped up, “Huh?? What’re you—AHHH!!”

At once, he felt his own index finger gently probing his own hole. It was such an odd sensation, but Nines guided his finger very delicately to just trace his own puckered rim counterclockwise and then clockwise for a few minutes.

“Shh,” Nines whispered again, “relax, don’t tense up, and just follow my lead.”

“Ooooh fuuuuck, Niiiiinessss!!”

Gavin soon felt his middle finger joining the second, but the fingers never entered his body for the time being. There was a lot of teasing and touching, but Nines took his time with it, circling Gavin’s hole with his own fingers for the longest time.

Gavin felt precome already shooting out of his cock, and he hated that he hadn’t been laid in years. There was no way he was going to last if they ever actually got down to fucking, but he fought for control while Nines gently pushed his index finger up and slowly past that tight rim of muscle.

Trying not to tense up, Gavin held his breath, and Nines groaned. “Yessss,” he hissed, “just relax, and fuck yourself with your fingers, Gavin.”

The dirty talk was lighting up fires along Gavin’s heart and brain, and he knew he wanted and needed to hear more of it. Obeying Nines, he felt the android pushing his finger further and deeper inside his own body, and he remembered not to tighten or clench up too much. Spreading his legs as widely as he could, he closed his eyes and moved his hips and ass up and down on gently his own finger.

Nines hummed in pleasure, “I like the show you’re providing me, Gavin,” he commented, “it’s beautiful and very fucking hot, you know.”

Gavin couldn’t say anything; he felt Nines pushing his middle finger inside his hole, now, and he felt himself stretching carefully and slowly while his body grew accustomed to the slight burning pain.

Nines stopped every once in a while, making sure Gavin was alright before he quickened the pace. Gavin was practically impaling himself on his own two fingers, and he lost all control he had while Nines leaned forward and suckled one of his nipples.

Screaming up suddenly, Gavin glared at him. “If you don’t hurry up and fuck me now, Nines, I’m going to make sure you don’t walk out of here ever!!!”

Pausing as he was taken aback by the minor threat, Nines smiled excitedly. “I think you’re ready, Gavin…” as if to prove his point, he helped Gavin’s fingers make a long, deep pumping motion, and Gavin already knew how to do it on his own. He didn’t need Nines helping him, and before he could come, Nines withdrew Gavin’s fingers from his body and leaned down between his open legs.

Kissing him softly on his lips, Nines panted down, “Just remember to breathe, and let me know if I’m hurting you.”

Gavin nodded quickly, “Okay…I will! Just…just please…”

At once, Nines gripped his long, hard cock, and when Gavin peeked between their bodies to take a look at it, Nines leaned up against him. Suddenly, there was a warm pressure thicker and wider than two fingers against his opening, and before Gavin could piece it all together, Nines slid deeply inside him.

Gavin winced and cried out once in pain, and Nines paused immediately. Giving his partner time to adjust, Nines waited until Gavin set the pace. When Gavin gave an experimental thrust, Nines thrusted back, and when Gavin sighed out in pleasure, Nines deemed it fine to move a little deeper and faster. He completely filled Gavin, bottoming out nicely and perfectly within the other man.

Gavin had never felt so full and complete before, and he nearly sobbed from the insane and immense amount of pleasure rocking into him at once. His mind was dizzy, his heart was racing, and every bit of nerves in his body were standing on edge. Nothing had felt this amazing before, and he only now began to realize what some people meant when they said they’d had ‘the best sex of their entire lives’. Perhaps this was going to be his best, yet, and Gavin was set on enjoying it every moment.

Nines was absolutely the best and most wonderfully attentive lover. He pinched and plucked away at Gavin’s sensitive nipples to the point where they were almost sore. Then, his tongue and lips replaced his fingers, and Nines lavished equal amounts of attention onto the hardened nubs while still pumping deeply inside Gavin. Hands soon wrapped around Gavin’s cock, and Nines pumped him firmly a few times in much the same pace as he was fucking Gavin thoroughly.

Hips snapped against hips, and Gavin heard and felt his sweaty, heated flesh slapping against Nines’. It was the perfect atmosphere and ambiance, and while he felt like a porn star, he couldn’t help but to be perfectly vocal and loud about his pleasure. The bed rocked and groaned, but Gavin didn’t care. He was going to pass out from this, he felt, and he still summoned up the energy to beg Nines for more.

Clawing at his lover desperately, he cried out, “Harder, faster, Niiiiineeesss!”

Nines practically slammed into him, fucking Gavin roughly into the mattress until the bedsprings squeaked out their protest. While Gavin screamed out, on the brink of his release, a warm tongue invaded his mouth, and he realized that Nines was muffling his screams.

One, two, three, Nines pumped him desperately, the rhythm erratic as their movements were out of control. At once, Gavin spilled in Nines’ hand and all over their chests. They were both coated in Gavin’s seed, but Nines continued to fuck into Gavin at a brutal, punishing pace until Gavin’s hands fell away from Nines’ shoulders and neck.

A hand suddenly gripped Gavin’s chin tightly, and Gavin felt his head being turned towards Nines. “Look a-a-at me,” Nines panted down at him, “I w-want t-to see y-youuuu!!!”

“Nines…”

That was it.

Crashing down on top of him, Nines moaned a deep, throaty moan, but he briefly held himself up so he could take one last look into Gavin’s eyes. As they made and held eye contact, Gavin felt Nines releasing inside him, and he winced and trembled as Nines slowly pulled out of him when he had nothing left to give anymore.

The insides of his legs and certain parts of his ass felt sticky and wet, but he found he was strangely becoming mildly aroused from it…

Perhaps another time.

For now, he was beyond exhausted, and the last thing he remembered before he fell asleep was Nines grabbing him and spooning against his back while kissing the back of his neck sweetly and softly.

Gavin slept so peacefully that night that he didn’t even feel Nines slip away from his arms, leave his room, and walk out of his life and into the darkness.

(~~~~:::~~~~)

_Des yeux qui font baisser les miens!_

_Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche,_

_Voilà le portrait sans retouches,_

_De l’homme auquel j’appartiens,_

_Quand il me prend dans ses bras,_

_Il me parle tout bas,_

_Je vois la vie en rose!_

Gavin juggled an apple, and orange, and a tiny peach while Matthew giggled and clapped.

“Good work, dad!” he applauded his father while they walked towards the parking lot of Matthew’s school bright and early Monday morning.

Gavin felt a lot happier than he remembered feeling in months, and he wasn’t shy about showing it off while he juggled the fruits before tossing them back into Matthew’s lunchbox.

Winking at his son, he said, “Remember to eat those, buddy, I don’t want you bringing them home so they rot in your bag, alright?”

“Okay, dad!”

“Good, now let’s hurry, before your first warning bell rings!”

_Il me dit des mots d’amour,_

_Des mots de tous les jours!_

_Et ça me fait quelque chose,_

_Il est entré dans mon cœur,_

_Une part de bonheur,_

_Dont je connais la cause!_

Gavin held open the door for Matthew while smiling in pride as his son raced ahead down the halls full of children his own age. “Come on, dad!” Matthew cried out when Gavin had fallen behind.

“Wait for me, son!” Gavin cried out, picking his feet up as he kept his eyes on the back of his son’s curly hair. They ran ahead down the hall until they reached the last room, and Gavin stood by the open door while Matthew hung up his coat in his locker and placed his lunchbox inside it as well.

Turning to face his father, Matthew smiled eagerly, “Wanna meet my new teacher, dad? All the other kids’ parents are doing it!”

Gavin frowned for a moment, “I had no notice that you were getting a new teacher, Matthew!” Truthfully, Gavin felt a little ashamed for being so ‘busy’ over the weekend that he hadn’t paid attention to what was going on with Matthew’s academics and school life.

Still, he recovered from it, and he followed his son right up to the doorway of his classroom.

_C’est lui pour moi, moi pour lui dans la vie!_

_Il me l’a dit, l’a juré pour la vie,_

_Et dès que je l’aperçois,_

_Alors je sens en moi,_

_Mon cœur qui bat,_

_Des nuits d’amour à plus finir,_

_Un grand bonheur qui prend sa place,_

_Des ennuis, des chagrins s’effacent,_

_Heureux, heureux à en mourir!_

A few other parents had indeed been visiting the new teacher, and they all gathered at the front of the room near the teacher’s desk while students ran and chased each other about, laughing, screaming and kicking about as they played.

It was very noisy and crazy in the room, but Gavin still fought his way towards the front, where he patiently waited while a few parents bid their goodbyes, shook hands with the teacher, and eventually left the room.

_Quand il me prend dans ses bras,_

_Il me parle tout bas,_

_Je vois la vie en rose,_

_Il me dit des mots d’amour!_

_Des mots de tous les jours!_

_Et ça me fait quelque chose,_

_Il est entré dans mon cœur,_

_Une part de bonheur,_

_Dont je connais la cause,_

Gavin watched as Matthew sat down in his chair, and he waved at his son while the last few parents finally moved out of his way so he could greet the teacher. Matthew waved back, but then another student distracted him, and they began talking and laughing.

Shaking his head, Gavin spun around to greet the teacher. When he faced the teacher, every bit of blood in his body immediately turned to ice. All his body hair had stood on end, his nerves were flayed and raw, and his stomach fell to the floor. His eyes widened in absolute fear, and his mouth dropped open as though he had been ready to scream, but he found he couldn’t. His vocal chords weren’t working, and he couldn’t even summon his own voice to scream out if his life depended on it.

_C’est toi pour moi, moi pour toi dans la vie!_

_Il me l’a dit, l’a juré pour la vie!_

A familiar warm smile met his eyes, and as Gavin stared up at the tall teacher, he let out a pained and shocked cry that sounded as if he were choking.

Blue eyes stared into his own, and a blue LED light beamed down at him.

_Et dès que je t’aperçois,_

_Alors je sens dans moi,_

“Mr. Reed, I presume?”

A long arm soon was outstretched before his own, but Gavin’s trembling hand couldn’t move to take it.

The teacher gave him a worried smile that didn’t go missed by Gavin.

“I’m Nines, I’ll be teaching your son’s class for the time being, as his teacher had to leave due to an unplanned, untimely pregnancy…”

_Mon cœur qui bat…_

**Author's Note:**

> And thus our plot thickens for part 2!!  
> GET REAAAADDYYYY!


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